Author Shannon Mullen shows the audience a page from her book, “In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year,” during the Maine Voices Live event Wednesday at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville. The page features art of Ashirah Knapp’s letters.

Author Shannon Mullen, left, Gov. Janet Mills and Morning Sentinel reporter Amy Calder laugh Wednesday during their discussion at the Maine Voices Live event at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville.

Morning Sentinel reporter Amy Calder, right, Gov. Janet Mills, and author Shannon Mullen discuss Mullen’s book “In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year” at the Maine Voices Live event Wednesday at Colby College in Waterville.

Audience members smile Wednesday during the Maine Voices Live event for the new book “In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year.” Morning Sentinel reporter Amy Calder interviewed the book’s author, Shannon Mullen, and Maine Gov. Janet Mills during the event at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville.

Morning Sentinel reporter Amy Calder reads an excerpt Wednesday from the new book “In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year,” written by Shannon Mullen, during the Maine Voices Live event at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville.

Shannon Mullen, the author of the new book “In Other Words, Leadership: How a Young Mother’s Weekly Letters to Her Governor Helped Both Women Brave the First Pandemic Year,” smiles during the Maine Voices Live event at Colby College Wednesday.

Gov. Janet Mills answers a question Wednesday from an audience member during the Maine Voices Live event at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville.

Morning Sentinel reporter Amy Calder, right, interviews author Shannon Mullen, left, and Gov. Janet Mills at the Maine Voices Live event Wednesday at Ostrove Auditorium at Colby College in Waterville.